MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that “The Ultimate Fighter 5″ cast member Rob Emerson (9-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 101 contest after suffering a cut requiring stitches while preparing for the event.

Emerson had been scheduled to face “The Ultimate Fighter 6″ veteran George Sotiropoulos (9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) on the preliminary card of the pay-per-view event.

Featuring a lightweight title fight between current champ B.J. Penn and challenger Kenny Florian, “UFC 101: Declaration” takes place on Aug. 8 in Philadephia.

Emerson today told MMAjunkie.com he was disappointed when the cut, which he described as being “in a bad spot,” forced him out of the event.

“I’ve been training for three or four months,” Emerson said. “Not only am I in great shape right now, but I’m a completely different fighter. I’m way more aggressive now. I’m just a completely different fighter.”

Emerson said when he is able to return to action, fans should expect to see a more focused competitor.

“I’ve been training with B.J. Penn’s camp for this fight, working with world-class coaches and world-class fighters,” Emerson said. “These guys really believe in me, and that helps.”

AroundTheOctagon.com is reporting “The Ultimate Fighter 8″ cast member George Roop (9-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has agreed to step in on short notice and face Sotiropoulos.

Immediate attempts by MMAjunkie.com to reach Roop for comment were unsuccessful, and the UFC has yet to announce the change.

For complete coverage of UFC 101, including the night’s official fight card, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

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